Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

As many people probably already know, I'm a little bit loopy. Verbally, action-wise, and philosophically, I'm completely off the wall. It's an asset in a job where I'm both batty about nature and batty in general. However, despite my setbacks with my old computer what with losing my life list, year list, and SBMWA property bird list, I'm still determined to hit 350 species this year. I currently have 316 with the most recent edition being a Louisiana Waterthrush ( Parkesia motacilla ) seen in the Stony Brook a few weeks ago at camp. I'm hoping for some excellent migrants in the form of shorebirds, songbirds, and shearwaters. Yeah. You heard me! Welshie's going to sea and wants to find himself some mutton birds! Okay, okay...maybe not that badly, but a whale watch is definitely an excellent excuse to look for pelagic birds like shearwaters, gannets, and terns. Who knows? I might even seen some storm-petrels. It's only mid-August after all and I figur...

Listing can be a tedious and annoying task, but it can also be enjoyable and brag worthy. There is nothing better than comparing notes and numbers of year lists, life lists, all manners of lists with one's fellow birders. My own life list hovers just over 320 spp., making me excited for my trip to Bombay Hook NWR this weekend. With reports of American Avocets ( Recurvirostra americana ) and a Ruff ( Philomachus pugnax ) along the coast of the refuge, I'm pumped to get some more lifers. I found out about their presence by following the ABA Rare Bird Alerts on my email (the Ruff being considered a code 3) and noting what observers on eBird had seen. Most of them listed a single bird hanging out with other shorebirds in a specific pool which brought my spirits up to know that they bird was staying in one place. Having a network of tips and lists at your fingertips and being able to use it to find birds is just amazing and I'm so happy to be able to contribute to such a service...